My doctors think I have Crohn's.
I had a bowel perforation, and peritonitis, in fall 05 at the age of 35. They didn't catch it very quickly, in fact I was pretty close to dead when they finally figured it out. I also at the time had a kidney infection and a big ovarian cyst, which would have accounted for severe abdominal pain and fever. I had almost no appetite, but never got naseous or barfed, so they just sort of missed it, I guess, until I was grey and whining for pain meds.
They took out the last 18 inches or so of small intestine. Pathology was negative for Crohn's, cancer or anything else. I believe they did a blood test at that time, which was 80% indicative that it was Crohn's, but I don't know which test. I think I'll find out on Monday.
I had a LOT of diarrhea afterwards, like 18 months worth, and was pretty much useless work-wise for a very long time. They did a colonoscopy, and removed a polyp, but found no other problems. Six months later, they did a capsule endoscopy, again finding no inflammation or other Crohn's indication.
This spring, I have been knocked back into bed with severe pain in my gut. It has happened three times, and only the use of my (very strong) pain meds prescribed for my migraines has kept me out of the ER. A CT scan with GI contrast done about 2 weeks after the second pain event showed an ovarian cyst, but no GI inflammation.
The OBGYN thinks it could be a post-surgical adhesion, shutting or severely limiting the GI tract flow. My gastro thinks it is probably a Crohn's flare, since I never had any vomiting. I refuse to take prednisone, and things are dying down, I can eat again after almost a week.
I just don't get why they never found ANY pathology or inflammation, if it is Crohn's.
Any good comments?